For the past several months, quite a few clients have asked about an alternative to the weight-bearing poses typically found in Sun Salutation. Due to injuries or surgeries, they had been wisely advised to avoid poses like downward facing dog and plank until they healed.
One client was bereft that she was unable to do her morning routine. In such situations, its my job to find safe and effective alternatives.
I’m familiar with many versions of Sun Salutation and also the lovely alternative Moon Salutation. The challenge is that a lot of the Mood Salutation variations in particular require extreme flexion in the knees – typically, a half-squat – when moving from side to side.
I now offer this version as a gentle alternative, which clients really enjoy:
If you are healthy, try doing several rounds. Once you have learned the sequence, you no longer need to watch the video.
Additional variations include
- Holding the poses slightly longer.
- Moving the sequence along in a vinyasa or flow style.
- Adding poses to the sequence. Be creative and have fun!
Resilience for Life videos are designed to be short and useful. At just under three minutes, this Sun Salutation can be done almost anytime.
Try starting your day with this sequence for one week and see how you feel. We’d love to hear from you!
DISCLAIMER: As always, never do any movement that causes pain. It’s each person’s responsibility to know his or her own body and to distinguish what may or may not be appropriate. In the presence of a previous injury or chronic pain, it’s always a good idea to consult with a medical professional or physical therapist to obtain a correct diagnosis and to understand what poses may be contraindicated.